Jim Carrey Breaks Letterman’s Coffee Cup While Singing ‘Take on Me’

While appearing on Late Show With David Letterman in November of 2010, funnyman Jim Carrey closed out the show by singing a unique rendition of the iconic a-ha song “Take on Me”. Letterman had encouraged Carrey to take a chance, and Carrey wanted a challenge.

I’ve been trying to learn how to sing because everybody needs to be singing. There’s so much singing going on in the movies and stuff like that and you gotta be ready.because it… but i want songs that are hard. A song that is hard that will challenge me okay? so once I learn it and once I sing it and I get it down then I can call myself a singer.

Carrey’s version both amused and somewhat impressed the band, the host, and the waiting guests equally. He did manage to hit the high note and held it for a comically long time, breaking a Letterman’s coffee cup as he did so.

Jim performs the A-Ha classic “Take on Me,” and ends the performance by trying to keep the last note as long as he can while breaking one of the host’s coffee cups.

Jim Carrey Sings on Letterman
Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.